TMNT: Secrets of the Sewers
by Roronoa Senshi
Summary: AU: When a strange girl appears in the sewers suffering from horrid wounds, the TMNTs can't help but try and save her. As time passes, the girl is adopted into the strange family. They vow to protect her from whatever hurt her, no matter what the cost. Even if it means going topside and risking their secret existance.
1. Prologue: Everything Changes

In New York City, everything is always changing. A person can become rich overnight, or lose everything in a blink of an eye. For one man, this became all too clear.

Hamato Yoshi, a Japanese immigrant, had recently moved to the city with his wife Tang Chen and his daughter Miwa. Life was rough for the family. Yoshi worked as a martial arts teacher, and Tang Chen watched over their young daughter. Despite having little, the Hamato family was happy.

And then everything changed.

…..

Yoshi was awoken in the middle of the night by his daughter crying. He opened his eyes and gently walked down the hall to his daughter's room. He found her sitting on her bed, holding her large stuffed bear in her arms, staring at a tank sitting on a table. In the tank were four baby turtles that Miwa had adopted.

"Daddy…" miwa cried. "I had a bad dream…"

"Tell me about it." Yoshi said, picking up his daughter.

"My turtles… they grew…. They turned into monsters…."

Yoshi cradled his daughter, gently rocking her back and forth.

"It's alright…" he explained. "Your turtles are not monsters."

"Can you take them outside please?" she asked. "Just for tonight?"

An innocent request, a little girl scared of a dream that only daddy could cure. How could Yoshi say no? For many years after, he would wish he had.

…..

The truck came out of nowhere. A large semi-truck carrying a cargo of flammable liquid. It crashed right through the front door of the house, narrowly missing Yoshi and the tank of four turtles. He turned and saw the truck, and immediately screamed the name of his wife and daughter. He ran towards the home, his bare foot stepping in a strange green ooze that leaking from the truck. However, a spark from the engine lit the ooze on fire, and the entire building exploded, sending Yoshi flying through the air with the four turtles.

Screaming in despair, his eyes filled with tears, Yoshi watched as his home burned, his wife and daughter so obviously dead. He felt as if he himself was burning in the blaze. However, after a moment, he began to realize that he really was burning, but not from the fire.

He looked down at his hands to see his skin bubbling. Horrified by the sight, he scrambled away, only to run right into the turtle tank. As he looked down at the four baby turtles, the only remaining part of his old life, he couldn't bear to leave them. He scooped up the four turtles and stumbled away, trying to find a safe place to hide from whatever was happening to him.

He took solace in a storm drain, huddling in his singes pajamas, holding the four baby turtles as if they were his own darling Miwa. A tear rolled down his eyes as sleep finally took him, his last thoughts on his family.

…..

When Yoshi awoke, he knew something had changed. He felt different, and everything looked different. Everything was sharper, his eyesight, his hearing, and especially his sense of smell. As he went to rub sleep from his eyes, he did a double take when he saw his hands. He now had four fingers rather than five, with dark black fur covering his arms. He looked down at himself and saw that his entire body was covered in sleek black fur. More than that, as he felt his face, he knew immediately he was no longer human. He looked into a puddle of water, and came face to face with a humanoid black rat.

He stumbled back, his back hitting the wall of the storm drain. His breath came in sharp gasps as he tried to come to grips with what had happened. The strange ooze that had destroyed his home. It must have done something to him, mixed his DNA wth that of the rats that populated the sewers.

Horrified with his transformation, Yoshi held his face in his hands.

"My entire life…. My family… my home… and now my humanity…. Splintering to pieces before my eyes."

"Splin…..ter…."

A voice, like a baby boy's voice, broke through th cloud of sorrow blanketing Yoshi. He looked around until he spotted four strange creatures. They had green skin, but seemed human in shape, except for large shell like objects on their back. Each had fuzzy black hair on their heads, and they all seemed to be looking at Yoshi. It didn't take long for Yoshi to make the connection.

"Miwas's turtles…."

Of course… if the ooze had effected Yoshi, then when he touched the turtles, their DNA must have mixed with theirs, making them humanoid turtles. They crawled over to Yoshi looking up at him with large eyes that seemed to sparkle with curiousity and innocence.

"Splin…ter…" one of them said.

Yoshi was shocked. The turtles were talking. As he watched the turtles crawl to him, he couldn't help but think back to his daughter's nightmare.

"My turtles grew…. They turned into monsters…." She had said.

He chuckled slightly, gathering the turtles into his arms.

"Miwa's monsters…. Aren't monsters at all…"

He slowly got to his feet, taking one last look up at the morning sun. The four turtles blinked at the lights, a smile on all of their faces. Yoshi sighed in resignation, then turned away from the light, deep into the recesses of the city.

Hamato Yoshi was no more. He would adopt a new name, and a new life. As he looked down at the four turtles, who beamed up at him, Yoshi knew that there was something else he was adopting.

A new family.

…..


	2. Discoveries

_Run._

_Run and don't stop._

_Never stop._

_The destination doesn't matter._

_The distance doesn't matter._

_All that matters is running._

_Fleeing._

_Escaping._

…_.._

Master Splinter opened his eyes, surprised by the strange vision he had received while in meditation. It was one that seemed so real, as if he was living it. Even now, he could feel his heart racing wildly in fear of some unseen enemy. Still, he knew it was nothing more than a vivid dream.

"COWABUNGA!"

_CRASH!_

"MIKEY! STOP SKATEBOARDING IN MY LAB!"

"SORRY DON!"

Splinter sighed and shook his head. Sometimes, his life felt like nothing but a vivid dream. He stood up, grabbing his walking stick, and entered the "living room" of his home.

For the past 13 years, Splinter and his strange sons had called an old abandoned drainage junction home. They had set up small rooms for each of the boys, as well as a large area where Splinter taught his sons everything he knew, from English, to history, and of course, martial arts.

He looked around his home, and gave a quiet smile. His sons had grown since that fateful day, and were approaching their 14th birthday. They were about the size of teenage boys now, each with a full head of thick black hair (though after discovering hair dye, each boy had highlighted their hair with their favorite colors). If it weren't for the shells, the green skin, and the distinct lack of a nose, Yoshi was certain they could have past as humans.

"My sons." He called. "It is time."

One by one, his sons looked up.

"You may cease training Leonardo."

Leonardo, a turtle dressed in blue shorts with blue highlights immediately stowed his katanas, leaping over a rail to kneel at his sensei's feet.

"Your videogame can wait Raphael."

Raphael, the turtle dressed in all black save for a red belt buckle and red highlights, groaned and turned off the TV, walking over to kneel next to Leo.

"It is time for a break Donatello."

Donatello, a turtle dressed in purple with purple highlights, shrugged out of a white lab coat, draping it over an old chair, then joining his brothers.

"Skateboard away Michelangelo."

Michelangelo, a turtle dressed in bright orange, with obnoxious orange highlights, jumped in the air on his skateboard, landing right next to his brothers, where he set it aside and knelt.

"My sons. It is time for us to gather supplies for the week."

Raph groaned.

"But Sensei, that takes all day."

"Master splinter," Donny asked. "Wouldn't it be easier for us to get food if we went up top?"

Leo glared at Donny.

"You know the rules." He said. "Rule one-"

"Never leave the sewers." Mikey finished. "We know the rules Leo."

Splinter tapped his walking stick against the ground. His sons fell silent and turned to him.

"My sons… I know that you are curious about the outside world, but you must remember, we are not like those who walk above us. We are different, and in their world, we would not be easily accepted. That is why we must remain hidden. That is why I have trained you in the ancient art of ninjitsu."

The boys all nodded. Despite their curiosity, they knew that if they ever went up to the surface, they would be treated as monsters.

"Go my sons." Splinter said. "Supplies won't find itself."

"Yes Sensei." The boys said in unison.

As the leapt to their feet, grabbing their weapons, the boys hoped they would find enough food.

…..

Far above the four turtles, a young girl hid in a back alley behind a trashcan. She huddled in a little ball, trying to wrap what appeared to be an old sheet around her for warmth. Anyone who saw her would simply think of her as another homeless child. No one could see the genuine fear in her eyes, nor the bleeding scars that lay hidden under the sheet.

The girl could hear footsteps approaching, as well as loud angry voices screaming orders. She scrambled to her feet, wincing in obvious pain as she did, grabbing a tattered backpack she'd stolen from a different alley, looking for an escape. Finally, she found one. A sewer grate.

She strained to pry it open, wincing even more as more blood seeped through the thin sheet wrapped around her. Finally, the grate popped free and slid in, replacing the lid as quietly as she could. She stumbled down the ladder, biting her lip against the pain, then began limping through the darkened corridor. As she walked, a hole in her backpack opened and a granola bar slipped out, followed soon by another, leaving a metaphorical bread crumb trail.

…..

"Come on guys, this way!" Mikey called. "I'm sure we'll find food this way."

As Mikey ran forward, the other three brothers looked at each other.

"Leo." Raph commented. "Exactly why are we letting Mikey lead?"

"You have to admit Raph, if anyone can find food, it's Mikey." Donny replied.

"He's right." Leo replied. "All we have to do is make sure that we keep close enough that we can stop him from eating it all."

The three brothers all chuckled to themselves. Suddenly, Mikey called out.

"Guys! I found something!"

The three ran to catch up to their brother, who was waving something in the air. As they got closer, the brothers saw it was a granola bar.

"See?" Donny said, nudging Raph. "Mikey can always find food."

"I found more than this." Mikey said. "Look."

He points down the tunnel, where several other small snacks can be found. Leo picks one up.

"A trail?" he wonders.

"You think it's a trap?" Raph asks.

"Possible… but unlikely." Donny answered.

"Well whatever it is, I'm not passing up free food." Mikey said.

He runs down the path, grabbing all of the food he finds, gathering it in his arms. However, before they follow the others follow their brother, Donny sees something shining on the brickwork.

"Hey guys." He says. "Look at this."

Raph and Leo squat down to get a better look. Doony pulls out a flashlight from a sachel that he always carries, shining it down on the spot. It's a thick red liquid.

"Is that-?" Raph began.

"Blood." Leo interrupted. "Whomever is leaving this trail of food, I think they're hurt."

Suddenly, Mikey lets out a small yelp, drawing the brother's attention. Believing him introuble, they each draw their weapons and follow him around a corner. They nearly run into him as he stands in the middle of the tunnel.

"Hey!" Raph shouts. "What's the big I-"

Mikey slaps a hand over Raph's mouth, much to everyone's surprise. He then points and everyone looks.

Laying in the middle of the path, sprawled out in a pool of her own blood, is a girl. As the turtles come closer, they see that she's out cold.

"Who is she?" Donny whispered as he bent down over her.

"She looks hurt." Mikey replied.

Leo looked closer at the girl. She was wrapped in a sheet, but he could see blood stains seeping through. Then he remembered the small trail of blood. It must have been hers.

"Donny, do you have that med kit?"

Donny pulled out a small kit of bandages and infection cream. Leo took it, and very gently pulled the sheet away. The girl was wearing nothing but a tattered hospital gown, and what appeared to be broken medical restraints. She had multiple cuts and bruises, and was so skinny that she looked almost like a skeleton.

"Holy shell." Raph quietly swore. "What happened to her?"

"Who did this to her?" Mikey wondered.

As Leo examined her wounds, Donny shook his head.

"She's in horrible shape." He said. "If she stays down here, she'll die."

"Well, what do we do?" Raph asked.

"What Master Splinter would want us to do." Leo replied. "We help her."

He bent down and gently scooped up the girl, wrapping her in the sheet.

"Uh, Leo… I think you're forgetting Master Splinter's rules." Mikey commented. "Specifically, never be seen by a human."

"Mikey, she's hurt. Bad. It's obvious that she's hiding from something, since she came down here. I don't think Master Splinter will mind. Besides, Sensei's always telling us to do the right thing, and my gut's telling me that helping her is the right thing."

"Well my gut's telling me that this is a bad idea…. And that it's hungry."

Raph whacked Mikey on the back of the head. Mikey yelped in pain and the girl shifted in Leo's arms. The boys panicked for a second, but she only whimpered slightly, curling into Leo's arms. Leo looked down at her, and despite her being unconscious, he could see the fear in her face, right though her very being.

"We're helping her." Leo stated. "And that's final."

…..

Completely forgetting about their supplies gathering mission, the turtles made a bee line for the lair. When Splinter heard his son's frantic footsteps, he feared there had been an accident. However, when Leo ran in, cradling a girl in his arms, Splinter's eyes widened.

"Sensei… she's hurt." He said quickly. "We have to help her."

Splinter looked at the girl in his sons arms. Her injuries were grievous indeed, and despite the risk she may pose, Splinter could not let her die.

"Place her on the table."

Leo did as he was told as his brothers ran in.

"Raphael, go and fetch some clean towels. Michelangelo, heat up some water. Donatello, fetch as many bandages as you can. Leonardo, help me unwrap this sheet."

The boys all ran in seperate directions as Splinter approached the girl. He and Leo gently unwrapped the sheet, and Splinter was horrified at the state she was in. More than that, she looked no older than his sons.

"Poor child… to have suffered so much…"

He saw the medical restraints, and immediately was disgusted. He angrily ripped them off of the girl, tossing them in the trashcan. Leo stared at his sensei, wondering what had triggered such an angry state.

"I have the bandages!"

"I have water!"

"I have towels!"

"Good my sons." Splinter replied. "Place the water on the table."

Mikey set down the water. Raph immediately dunked one of the towels in the water, handing it to Splinter. He began gently dabbing at the girls wounds, washing away the dirt and the blood. Donny set down the bandages and did the same. Soon, all four brothers, as well as their sensei were cleaning the girl. Eventually, they were able to get a clear view of the multiple wounds.

"These wounds are deep." Splinter noted. "We'll need to stitch them."

"I'll grab the suture kit." Donny said, already running to grab it.

"We also need to keep her warm." Splinter said. "Raphael, go and fetch my spare robe, as well as a clean blanket."

Raphael did so, returning just as Donny did. Splinter took the suture kit, as well as a small bowl of disinfectant, and began to stitch the girls wounds shut. As he did, she hissed in pain, crying out. As she did, all five of them saw flashes of red going through their heads.

_Pain… Endless pain… make it stop…_

Splinter closed his eyes, and focused on helping the girl. He couldn't let himself be distracted. However, the brothers found themselves bombarded my blurry red images. Shadowy figures hovering over them, blood everywhere, and a girl's voice crying out in pain, screaming for help/

_Please… No more… No more pain…_

This went on for what felt like hours, until finally, Splinter finished stitching the girl's wounds. The brothers' visions suddenly cleared, and all four of them found themselves on the ground, tears flowing uncontrollably from their eyes.

"What…. Was that?" Leo gasped.

"I think that was her." Donny said, wiping his eyes.

"She's been through serious shell…" Raph commented, just sitting there completely thrown. "I'm surprised she's still alive…"

Mikey didn't say a word. He just looked at the girl currently being bandaged by Master Splinter.

"She can't be older than us…" he said finally. "Who would do that to a kid?"

"I do not know my son." Splinter replied, finishing his work. "I do not know."

Splinter then took his spare robe and wrapped it around the girl, cutting away the hospital gown. He tied it gently around her, then lifted her off the table and into the living room.

"Leonardo… Set out a small futon for her. I believe it is best if we leave her out here in open space."

"Yes Sensei."

A small bed is set up, and Master Splinter lays her down, pulling the blanket over her.

"Now what Sensei?" Raph asks.

"Now, we wait." Splinter explains. "and we pray."


	3. What's in a Name?

_Scared… so scared… run… keep running… don't stop… if you stop… They will find you… they will take you back… never go back…. Can't go back… won't go back…_

_Won't…_

_Won't._

_Won't!_

…_.._

Her eyes flew open and she screamed. Almost immediately, she felt a presence holding her from behind. Instinctively, she went to break this presences grip.

"Shhh" a voice said. "It's alright. You're safe."

The voice was soothing, like a loving father or a wise grandfather. Whomever the presence was, they were not a threat. She took several deep breaths and slowly relaxed as the presence held her, rocking her gently. As soon as she visibly calmed down, the presence slowly released her.

"You're safe here…" the voice said again.

The girl slowly turned, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Please do not." The voice asked.

"Why?" the girl asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"If you see my face, you will fear me."

The girl could feel the presence's fear of being feared. The girl just gently put her hand over his hand. She then very slowly and deliberately turned. She looked up at the soothing presence, to see a large black rat. While he had the head, tail, and fur of a rat, he seemed to have a humanoid figure. She let out a small gasp, and the rat winced.

"Who… who did this to you?"

…..

Of all the reactions Splinter had expected, never had he even thought about pity. This girl… she was not scared of him. Instead, she felt pity, believing someone had done this to him on purpose.

"Child… Nobody did this to me… I was… in an accident… and it changed me."

She looked up at him, and she slowly reached out her hand. Her hand came to rest on his chest, right where his robe opened. She felt his fur, and very gently moved her hand over his heart. She then looked up at him.

"No it didn't." she said.

"What do you mean?"

"You were a kind man before… and you still are… you have not changed."

Splinter blinked, then looked at the girl. He met her eyes, eyes that held years of pain, sorrow and fear, and yet, when she looked at him, she just seemed to understand. She leaned against him and he held her again, flashing back to all the times he held his beloved Miwa.

"I never thought of it that way."

"A heart laden with grief has little room for much else, Hamato Yoshi."

Splinter's eyes flew open at that name, and the girl suddenly tensed.

"How did you-"

"I'm sorry!" she interrupted. "Sorrysorrysorry!"

She began crying as she said sorry over and over, as if she had done something wrong. When Splinter went to reach out for her, she tensed in fear, and he froze.

"I'm not angry at you." He said. "You merely surprised me."

The girl looked up, her face filled with fear and dread. Splinter, knowing it was unlikely he would get anywhere further with her, simply sat down in a meditation style, and waited. Eventually, she stopped crying and looked over.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't mean to read you."

"Read me?" he asked.

She nodded.

"You read my mind."

She nodded again.

"You were thinking of your daughter… Miwa… who died long ago. You miss her, and your wife…"

This time, Splinter nodded. His heart ached at the mention of their names, and for a moment, he felt as if he was back in that fire, watching his entire life being destroyed. He then felt the girl's hand on his, and he looked over.

"Don't feel sad." She said with an expression of compassion on her face. "They're in a better place… and one day, you will see them again."

He looked down at the girl, the frightfully skinny girl, who had just barely survived… something… and yet, she still had the heart to tell him to feel better and try to give him hope. He reached and gently stroked her hair.

"You are right, little one." He said with a smile, what he felt was his first genuine smile in years.

She smiled back, then slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep in Splinter's fatherly arms. He gently held her, cradling her and rocking her once more. This girl was gifted… she had the ability to read peoples minds, to see their true character. This was a powerful gift, one that, in the wrong hands, could be quite dangerous. Perhaps someone had attempted to exploit her gifts, and that might explain how she had ended up in such horrible shape.

Watching the little girl sleep, Splinter wondered what kind of monster could do this to a little girl. He held her tighter, silently vowing that he would ensure her safety. He would keep her safe, so she would never have to be afraid again.

…..

The brothers, who had been sent out to see about food and anyone pursuing the girl, returned about an hour after the girl had fallen asleep. As they approached the lair, Leo called out.

"Master Splinter! We're back."

"Hush Leonardo… she is sleeping."

The turtles walked into the lair, setting the girl's backpack (which they had recovered) as well as a large sack of food (found thanks to Mikey) near the kitchen. They saw Master Splinter holding the girl and walked over.

"How is she?" Donny asked.

"She awoke for a moment, scared out of her mind." Splinter explained. "Luckily, I was able to calmed her down."

"Did she see you?" Leo asked.

"Yes my son. But she was not scared of me."

That made the brothers do a double take.

"She wasn't scared of you?" Mikey asked. "How is that possible?"

"Simple Michelangelo, she saw past my face and into my heart. She could tell I meant her no harm, and relaxed."

The brothers looked at each other. Each of them had prepared for the worst upon returning; everything from the girl being more injured from trying to escape, or Master Splinter hurt in some way. Never had they even considered the thought that she would accept them.

"My sons… Like us, this girl is not like those on the surface."

"How Sensei?" Raph asked. "She looks human."

"Looks can be deceiving, Raphael. You see… this girl had a gift to look into the hearts of men."

"She's a telepath?" Mikey asked, getting a goofy grin on his face. "Like the X-Men? AWESOME!"

Raph whacked Mikey, who winced and rubbed his head in complaint.

"What was that for?" He whined.

"Mikey, think about it. In the X-Men, what happens to those with powers?" Raph asked.

Mikey thought about that for a moment, then his face fell.

"Oh." He mumbled.

"Yeah. Oh." Raph replied.

"Raphael is correct." Splinter said. "This girl had been harmed because of her gift. She has been tortured because she is different from everyone else. This is exactly why I have kept our own existence a secret, because I was afraid that this would happen to one of us."

The brothers looked at the girl, silently thankful that they had heeded Splinter's warnings and had never ventured topside.

"Well… what do we do now?" Leo asked.

"Now, we wait for her to reawaken. Until then, we best prepare her a room."

The boys perked up.

"A room?" Donny asked. "You mean-?"

"Yes." Splinter said interrupting Donatello musing. "She will stay with us."

The boys all smiled at each other, then immediately set to work.

…..

When the girl woke up a second time, she found herself lying in a large bed covered in thick blankets. As she sat up, she noticed that she was in a different room than before. The room had a small mirror attached to the wall, as well as a small box that seemed to have some clothes in it. There was also a small table by the bed with a small cup to what smelled like hot tea. She picked it up, gently taking a sip. It was nice.

As she sipped her tea, she heard footsteps coming towards her. She hoped in was Hamato Yoshi again. He was nice… nicer than anyone had been to her in a very long time.

However, instead of Yoshi's voice, she heard four other male voices, like teenage boys almost. They seemed to be whispering to each other. She focused on their thoughts, and she could feel that they were curious about her, but did not wish to scare her off. They were also worried about her well being and if their presence would be too much.

"It's alright." She called out, wishing her voice wasn't so weak. "You can come in."

The voices ceased, then very slowly, four creatures walked in. They were green with weird noses, three fingers, and shells on their backs. It didn't take long for her to figure out what they were.

"You're turtles." She said.

A turtle with blue hair stepped forward. She could tell he was the official leader of the group.

"I'm Leo, and these are my brothers Mikey, Raph, and Donny." He pointed to each brother in turn.

The other turtles waved as their names were called. She smiled at them kindly.

"You're the ones that found me… and brought me to Yoshi?"

Mikey looked confused.

"Who's Yoshi?" he asked.

Raph whacked Mikey, eliciting a snort from the girl.

"You moron, she means Master Splinter."

"Master who?" the girl asked.

Donny smiled.

"Master Splinter." He explained. "You see, when we were really little, our first word was Splinter. We thought that was his name for the longest time."

"Sensei took up the name because it made us happy, though he did eventually explain who he really was." Raph added. "Even though this bozo obviously wasn't paying attention." He poked Mikey in the forehead.

Mikey glared at Raph and the girl chuckled again. As she did, Leo looked over.

"Hey. You know what? This entire time, none of us have asked you what your name is."

The smile on the girl's face died almost instantly. She looked away.

"I… I don't have one."

"No name?" the turtles asked.

"No… The ones that-…. I mean….. I was never given a name."

"Well, we can't just keep calling you girl." Raph noted. "You need a name."

"Maybe… we could give you one." Leo suggested.

The girl looked up surprised.

"You'd do that?"

The brothers all nodded, agreeing that she should have a name. As they did this, Master Splinter walked into the room.

"I think I know the perfect name." he said.

The four turtles and the girl all looked over.

"How about… Hisako?"

"Hisako?" the girl asked.

"It is Japanese. It means Enduring Child." Splinter explained. "You are one that has endured much in your short life, and yet, you still have a pure heart. I believe it is a fitting name."

The girl thought for a moment, and then a smile crept onto her face.

"Hisako it is then."


	4. Bad Dealings

"Come on Hisako." Donny called. "You can do this."

Hisako stood in the center of the living room, leaning heavily on two bars that had been set up for her. Despite the fact that almost a month had passed since they boys had saved her, Hisako was still weak. She had trouble standing and difficultly walking, but that was an obstacle she was determined to overcome.

She gripped the bars, took a deep breath, then shakily took a step forward. It was slow going, but she started walking across the living room towards Donny. She reached the ends of the pole and smiled, sweat on her brow.

"I did it." She said with a breathless smile. "I walked."

Donny bent down and scooped her up bridal style and she wrapped her arms around him for support.

"Won't be long before you can walk unaided." He commented.

"COMING THROUGH!" Mikey's voice rang across the living space.

Donny and Hisako immediately ducked as Mikey came flying through the air on his skateboard, grinding on the bars Hisako had just been holding on to. As he jumped off and rolled away, Donny yelled at him.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THESE BARS ARE FOR HISAKO TO PRACTICE WALKING WITH, NOT FOR YOU TO GRIND ON WITH YOUR BOARD?!"

"Sorry Donny! I couldn't resist!"

Donny shook his head and stood up with Hisako still in his arms.

"I swear… one of these days he is going to break something doing that." Hisako commented.

Donny let out a laugh.

"Too late for that." He said. "We've lost count of how many pieces of furniture we've had to replace because of that bonehead."

Mikey continued to jump around on his board, flipping off of tables and even the couch. He wheeled towards the training ground, where Leo was practicing his hand to hand combat with Raph. Both jumped out of the way as Mikey wheeled past.

"Watch it Mikey!" They both shouted.

Donny got Hisako seated at the dining room table as Master Splinter walked out of the kitchen with the day's meal. Mikey raced past him, narrowly avoiding Master Splinter's tail. However, what he didn't miss was a snag in the dining room rug, which sent him flying across the room, right at Hisako.

"SHELL SHIELD!" Donny cried.

Raph and Leo darted for Hisako. The three turtles grabbed her, hugging her close, then braced themselves for impact.

_**WHAM!**_

Mikey slammed into his brother's shells, and landed hard onto the table. It groaned on impact.

"Owwww."

Mikey slowly sat up, only to be greeted by his brothers' angry faces.

"Umm… Hi?"

Raph whacked Mikey on the side of the head.

"You Knucklehead!" he shouted. "You almost hit Hisako!"

"We told you to be careful!" Leo said. "And that means no skateboarding in the lair!"

"I'm sorry guys." Mikey said. "But hey, at least I didn't break anything."

At that moment, the table splintered under Mikey's weight, buckling and falling to pieces. Mikey fell to the ground amid the pieces of wood that had been the kitchen table. Donny shook his head.

"Great." He said. "Now we need a new kitchen table. Again."

The guys pulled Mikey to his feet as Leo picked up Hisako. Raph tossed Mikey a broom and a trashcan as Mikey began cleaning up the mess.

"We best go now while the sun's still down." Leo commented. "Can't risk being seen."

Hisako was confused.

_What did the sun have to do with anything? The guys never ventured to the surface. Why would they need to avoid the sun if they weren't leaving the sewers?_

She must have accidentally mentally asked the question, because Leo quickly answered.

"If we follow the southwest tunnels, we enter out into the New York city dump." He explained.

"The dump?" she asked.

"Yeah." Raph replied. "You'd be surprised what you can find there."

"Most of the furniture here is stuff we found at the dump, cleaned up, and repaired." Donny added "It not only makes our lives easier, but the repair jobs give me things to do during my down time."

"We found the TV and Donny's computer there too!" Mikey added, dumping a dustpan full of table shards into the trashcan. "That place is a total gold mine!"

As Mikey broke up the last of the table and threw it away, Hisako tried to process what she had just learned.

"But you guys said you never went to the surface." Hisako said.

"The surface for us is the city." Leo explained. "The dump is pretty much like the sewers; a place no one wants to go."

Hisako nodded.

_It makes sense. Besides, nobody could remain confined indoors forever. It would drive anyone crazy, even these guys. And if the dump really was such a goldmine, I can understand why they would venture there._

"Maybe you guys can find me some crutches or something." She commented. "So that way you don't have to carry me everywhere while I gain my strength."

The boys looked at each other for a minute. Hisako could hear their thoughts clicking in their head as an idea seemed to be forming in their head. However, as if sensing her presence (they had gotten good at that quite quickly), a black veil was dropped over their thoughts. They only did that when they were planning something.

Suddenly, Leo shifted his grip on Hisako, quickly but gently flinging her over his shoulder until she was clinging to the rim of his shell. His arms hooked onto her legs, and soon, she was riding shell back on Leo.

"Why don't you come find a set yourself?" he asked.

Hisako's eyes widened. She couldn't go up! She'd be caught! She'd be found! She-

Her thoughts were violently interrupted by Leo taking off down the sewer tunnels, Raph, Donny, and Mikey fast on his heels. There was nothing Hisako could do, save close her eyes and cling to Leo for dear life. She could feel the wind whipping past her, and she could hear her brothers laughing and smiling. They were excited, but all she could feel was fear. It overwhelmed her in a blanket of dread. She prayed the turtles, the boys she had come to see as her brothers, would see this and take her back.

After a while, the boys stopped running and slowed to a walk. Leo gently nudges Hisako.

"It's alright." He said. "Just trust me."

She clung to him tightly, shaking her head, refusing to open her eyes.

"Leo… You know I can't go outside. If I'm discovered, they'll take me back. They'll-"

"Hisako…" Leo said gently. "Open your eyes."

Hisako took a deep breath and very slowly opened her eyes. What she saw surprised her. During her escape, all she had been able to see of the outside world was the blackness of night and several different trash strewn alleys. Even the thought of being outside was marred by her fear of those who chased her. However, this was different.

There was still garbage everywhere, and the smell wasn't all that good, but what Hisako saw made up for it all. The black sky was filled with twinkling stars that glittered through the night. Hisako found herself staring upwards, a look of awe on her face. The other three turtles came up, each of them also looking up at the sky.

"One of the first things we discovered about this place was that it's far enough from the city that the lights don't pollute the sky." Donny explained.

"We may not be able to enjoy the city…" Raph began.

"But we can still enjoy the natural beauty of the sky." Mikey finished.

Hisako just smiled.

"I never imagined…. That it could be so beautiful."

Leo jumped up one of the larger piles of garbage, one he knew was stable, and gently set Hisako down on it.

"You stay here and enjoy while the guys and I gather what we need." He said.

Hisako nodded and Leo jumped down to rejoin his brothers. They immediately separated, darting towards several different piles of junk.

"We either need a table, or enough wood that I can use to build us one." Donny called.

"Plus Hisako's crutches." Raph added.

"Can we also see about getting another TV?"

A can went flying through the air, hitting Mikey in the head and Hisako didn't even need to look to know that Raph had been the one to throw it. She chuckled slightly, then laid down on the pile of garbage to stare at the stars. She allowed her thoughts to drift, thinking about how much her life had changed. Sure, she was still in hiding, and sure she was still considered a freak, but around the turtles, she felt as if a whole new world, a brand new experience was open to her. All she needed to do was believe.

A strange noise quickly brought her out of her reverie. The turtles perked up and all five of them turned to see a large armored truck, followed by two very nice sports cars and a few motor bikes, entered the dump. The turtles all ducked and Hisoka did too, peaking down at the vehicles from her spot.

Out of the truck came a large man with a long black trench coat. The two guys on motorcycles walked over to his side and joined him. From the two sports cars emerged several guys all dressed in fancy suits. None of these guys looked friendly.

Hisako quickly began to concentrate, picking out the turtles consciences. She mentally plugged herself in, connecting the five of them together.

_Guys. Please tell me one of you is close enough to hear them__._

Raph was the one that replied.

_I'm hidden pretty close to the truck. I think I can make out what they're saying._

Hisako replied back.

_Focus on their voices and I'll broadcast what you hear to the group._

Raph leaned in closer on the conversation as Hisako worked her magic.

"I hope you brought our shipment." One of the guys in suits asked.

"I hope you brought us our cash." The guy in the trench coat replied.

Leo quickly analyzed the situation.

_It's some sort of transaction._

Mikey turned towards Leo's hiding spot confused.

_What kind of transaction is done in the middle of the night in a dump?_

Donny answered the question with a bit of a worried tone.

_The kind that people don't want anyone to know about._

One of the people in suits reached into the back of one of the sports cars and pulled out a large black briefcase. He opened it and turned it towards the trench coat man. It was full to the brim with money. The trench coat man reached for it, only to have it pulled back, out of his reach.

"First show us the goods. Then we'll talk price."

The guy in the trench coat growled. For some reason, it didn't sound like a sound that should be emitted from a human, and it made Hisako shiver slightly. Still, the guy backed off and snapped his fingers. The two guys from the motorcycles opened the back doors of the truck, revealing what appeared to be rows and rows of weapons.

"Fully automatic rifles, with a smooth trigger pull, and the capacity to fire up to 15 bullets per second." The trench coat guy explained.

He picked one up, tossing it to one of the suited guys. He caught it and examined it.

"Guaranteed to turn whatever your target is into Swiss cheese."

Hisako gasped suddenly, and for a moment, the boys were ambushed by one of Hisako's "Red Images" as they had been called. This one was of blurry figured with no apparent shape being shot by multiple people holding very similar weapons. The brothers all flinched and sent Hisako calming thoughts. She took a deep breath and the image faded.

The men in suits looked at the weapon in their leader's hand, smiling at it. Then suddenly, the gun was pointed right at trench coat man.

"This is a nice gun." He said. "The best I've ever gotten from your boss. I'm impressed. However, there is the matter of your side dealings."

The trench coat man didn't flinch when the weapon was pointed at him, and neither did the two men in the riding gear (who still had not removed their helmets). He simply crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Side dealings?" he asked.

"We know you've been selling your tech to our rivals on the south side. And we know all about your little side projects you've been working on."

Hisako sensed something feral beginning to rise in the trench coat man's posture. He was completely relaxed. Every muscle seemed to be completely and utterly slack, and Hisako knew that wild animals sometimes did that just before going for a killing strike.

"So here's what's gonna happen." The guy concluded. "You and your two leather covered cronies are gonna give us our shipment for a 100% discount. And then you're gonna send your boss a message."

The trench coated man raised a single eyebrow.

"Oh really?"

The man's voice made Hisako shiver. Even the boys could tell there was something off about this guy. Something… inhuman.

"And what message would that be?"

"This one!"

The man opened fire on the two men in biker helmets. They moved out of the way as the men in suits all drew what looked like seriously heavy weaponry.

"NO!" Hisako screamed, then slammed her hand over her mouth.

Both of the parties below froze, and the brothers all mentally cringed.

_Uh oh… _Leo thought. _We're in trouble now._

"It appears we have an eavesdropper." Trench coat man growled.

Hisako ducked down, praying to any deity that would listen that they hadn't seen her. However, before she could know for sure, someone knocked over a small pile of garbage. Everyone turned towards where Raph was hiding, but he was long gone. The men with guns approached the pile, only for Mikey to deftly toss a small can in the other direction. Hisako caught on quickly that they were leading the men away from her.

_I've got you Hisako. _Donny said mentally.

He came up behind her and scooped her up. However, as he did, her foot tapped a loose rock, which went tumbling down the pile of garbage. The men below turned to see the two of them at the top of the pile.

"THERE!"

Everyone open fired on the two. Donny jumped away from the pile, bouncing across the dump like a frog across a river. Upon seeing their brother and sister in trouble, Leo Raph and Mikey quickly drew their weapons. Leo jumped over the men with guns, slicing right through the barrels and destroying the weapons. Raph brought his sai down hilt first on the two men with biker helmets, making them fall to the ground. Mikey wrapped his sai around trench coat man's arms as Donny and Hisako came close. Hisako quickly slapped her palm against the back of his neck. He howled in pain, then slumped to the ground.

"Whoa…" Raph said. "what was that?"

"I temporarily overloaded his brain." Hisako explained. "He'll be sleeping for awhile, but he'll be fine."

Mikey let out a low whistle.

"Remind me never to make you mad."

The boys all stowed their weapons.

"So what now?" Donny asked.

"One of these guys must have a cellphone." Hisako said. "Let me have one."

The guys began searching the pockets of the thugs, pulling out multiple cellphones. Hisako took one, a flip phone without a passcode, and dialed 911.

"911 what's your emergency?"

Hisako put on a voice that sounded like the typical scared woman.

"OH MY GOD! THERE'S BEEN A SHOOT OUT! MY BOYFRIEND AND I WERE JUST MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS AT THE OLD DUMP WHEN THESE THUGS SHOWED UP AND STARTED SHOOTING EACH OTHER! I THINK THEY'RE HURT! PLEASE COME QUICKLY!"

She closed the phone.

"They'll be here in about 15 minutes." She said. "we best make like ninjas and disappear."

"But what about these guys? They may wake up before the cops get here." Leo said.

"No way am I leaving these bozos with a truckload of guns." Raph added.

"Well what do you suggest?" Donny asked. "We can't carry all of these things, and none of us know how to drive."

Hisako perked up.

"Donny. Put me down next to the guy that drove the truck."

Donny did and she tapped the guys forehead, pulling out a small blue ball of light, which she quickly slapped into Donny's head.

"There ya go Donny. Now get in the truck."

Donny opened the truck, where the keys were still in the ignition, and set Hisako down, buckling her in. Leo and Mikey opened the back and climbed in. However, there was only room for four.

"Hey… Where am I suppose to sit?" Raph asked.

"Bring me one of the biker guys."

Raph grabbed one and Hisako did the same thing through the guys helmet, shoving the light into Raph's head.

"Grab a helmet and a jacket and lets blow this popsicle stand."

Raph grinned like a maniac and did just that.

…..

The boys and Hisako returned to the Lair just a few minutes before dawn. They had left the stolen truck and the bike in an abandoned warehouse with sewer access inside, and had slipped quietly back into the lair.

As they settled down into their beds, Donny went to go and find some bandages for the minor scrapes gained during the scuffle. However, as he walked into the kitchen, he froze, then started chuckling.

"What is it?" Hisako asked.

Donny gestured to the empty kitchen, still laughing.

"We forgot the new table."

Everyone looked over, then face palmed.

"Aw Shell….."


	5. Aftermath

Hisoka and the turtles awoke late the next morning, having been up all night scrambling to find a replacement table at a different waste management plant far from the scene of the shootout. They had gotten it set up and had promptly collapsed afterwards. Even after a few hours of rest, the five of them were still tired.

"Man…" Donny said through a huge yawn. "I am completely wiped."

"My legs feel even more like lead than before." Hisoka commented as Raph came and got her.

"Maybe we can convince Sensei to give us the day off from training, just this once." Mikey added.

However, when they went out into the common area of the lair, Master Splinter was waiting for them, and he looked less than happy.

"Good morning." He said. "How did you sleep?"

The boys all looked at each other and Hisoka could see the red flags going up in their heads. Master Splinter was mad. Very mad.

"Perhaps there is something the five of you would like to tell me." He added.

_He knows._

Those two words were flaring up in each of the turtle's brains. Master Splinter knew about what happened at the dump. That was not good. Not good at all.

"Master Splinter…" Leo said sheepishly as he stepped forward. "I can explain…"

Master Splinter help up his hand, then switched on the television. The news was playing.

**A shootout occurred late last night between the notorious 3****rd**** street mob and a yet to be identified group of individuals. Police were called to the scene by an anonymous 911 caller, and upon their arrival, the officers found the men all unconscious. When they awoke, the men claimed that they had been attacked by "large green ninja monsters".**

Master splinter switched off the TV.

"I had one rule about your ventures to the dump. If any human was to show up, you were to hide yourself until the opportunity to escape showed itself."

The boys all looked ashamed, and Leo seemed even more so. Hisoka spoke up.

"It was my fault Master Splinter." She said. "We did hide when they showed up, but when the shooting started… I got scared… and… I screamed…"

Master Splinter did not relent.

"You should not have stayed there long enough to witness the shooting. Why did you not escape sooner?"

"Because…" Hisoka hesitated. No matter how she worded it, she knew she would get her brothers into trouble. As she attempted to find the right words, Leo saved her the trouble.

"Because none of us were near Hisoka." He explained. "I had left her at the top of a trash pile while we attempted to find a new table… I wanted her to enjoy the stars… so when the men showed up… we couldn't get to her without being seen."

"Leo…" Hisoka whispered, reaching for the blue turtle.

He looked away, his head lowered in shame.

"No Hisoka… I was stupid. I shouldn't have left you alone on that pile. You were isolated and defenseless. I should have thought…"

"We all should have." Raph added.

Raph Mikey and Donny also looked down ashamed. Hisoka just held tightly to Raph, sending all four of them her feelings of compassion and forgiveness. Master Splinter was not so forgiving.

"Not only did you leave your sister, who cannot yet stand on her own, defenseless, but you also left yourselves in a position where you were spotted. If you had not left when you did… You may have been killed… or worse…"

Hisoka cringed and a momentary Red Image flitted through their heads. The boys all winced, and Master Splinter just nodded.

"As I said earlier, I hope you slept well, because the five of you will not be getting much rest for a good long while."

…..

Sitting in a holding cell at the NYPD Precinct, Hun, the large man in the trench coat from the dump, waited. When the police arrived at the dump, his two cohorts had fled as ordered, and he had not resisted arrest. He had given his statement to the police, saying that he was shipping a load of weapons to a nearby testing range when the 3rd street mobsters had hijacked it. When asked where the shipment was, he simply told the officers that an unknown third party must have stolen the truck. The police still could not release him, so he waited.

After a few hours, a police officer approached the door.

"Mr. Hun?" he asked.

Hun looked up and nodded. The officer unlocked the cell door and held it open.

"Your bail has been posted. You're free to go."

Hun smiled and stood up. He walked out of the cell, and down the hall to where his boss… No… His Master… awaited.

"Here he is Mr. Saki." The officer said. "We apologize for the difficulties."

Oroku Saki rose from where he sat, straightening his tie and his sports coat.

"Fear not Officer." He said in a voice that could sooth anyone of any worries or fears. "I understand quite well the trouble this matter has caused. I am quite sure you will have everything straightened out soon."

The officer nodded and the two walked out of the precinct. As soon as they were out of earshot, Saki turned to Hun.

"What happened?" he asked, his soothing voice turning to one of someone who was not to be trifled with.

"As you predicted, the 3rd street mob attempted to betray us. However, before counter measures could be enacted, there was a scream."

"A scream?"

"Like a child's scream. A little girl if I had to guess."

"So… Someone saw what happened…"

"I'm not sure, Master. We attempted to draw the girl out… but instead, these…. Creatures... Appeared instead."

Saki raised a single eyebrow.

"Tell me more about these... creatures… and about this girl…"

…..

After the incident at the dump, the turtles found themselves doing constant training exercises over and over again. They only got a fifteen minute meal break for breakfast lunch and dinner, and then it was right back to training. They didn't see Hisoka at all during those two months, but just because she couldn't walk yet didn't mean she got off.

Hisoka spent those two months doing constant leg exercises to build up her strength and stamina. It wasn't just walking across the room either. She was doing leg raises, first without weights, then with them. Then she was doing lunges and squats, and even full leg extensions. By the end of the second month of being "grounded", Hisoka could stand on her own and walk as well. She still required some aid from a pair of leg braces Master Splinter found, but it was a great improvement.

After a full two months of non-stop training, Splinter finally decided that they had been punished enough, and gave them the day off to recover.

"Thank God." Mikey sighed in relief. "I thought we'd never get a break."

He made a bee line for the couch, where he immediately turned on the TV and the videogame consol.

"If you'll excuse me.. I have two months' worth of videogames to catch up on."

Hisoka shrugged, walking over to Donny's work station, where he was tinkering with the guns stolen from the goons.

"Hey Don…" she said. "Whatcha doing'?"

"I'm seeing what I can find on these guns. If we can find out where they came from… maybe we can do something about them… keep them off the streets, or at the very least find a way to disarm them."

Hisoka looked confused.

"Didn't we just spend two months doing nonstop training as punishment for being seen? Your plan would involve us going topside?"

"It would.. Yes… But… You saw what we did… We stopped those guys… and I was thinking… maybe we could actually do some good."

Hisoka sighed. She looked at her brother with a look of sadness in her eye.

"Donny… The world won't accept you… accept us. Take it from someone with experience in that field."

Donny met her eyes.

"We have to try Hisoka… We have to try…"

Hisoka just looked down and Donny continued.

"I mean, I get that we're not like them. I'm not saying that we go out in broad daylight and reveal ourselves and go "Hey world. Look at us!" I just… I want to show that we're not monsters… and maybe by stopping some of the violence in the streets, we can work our way up to saying Hi to other people."

"Maybe…" Hisoka said. "Maybe one day… but in the meantime… You got any other projects planned?"

Donny quickly rolled his chair to the side to where he had six dismantled cellphones laid out.

"I wanted to build us some cellphones for a while. Ones that can't be traced just in case. Now with something to work with, I have a place to start."

Hisoka leaned in with a smile.

"What will you call them?"

Donny shrugged.

"I don't know… T-Phones?"

"LAME!" Hisoka shouted. "How about… Shell Cells?"

Donny mulled it over.

"Nice name." he decided. "Shell cells it is."

He continued his tinkering as Hisoka leaned in closer...

"What I don't understand is why you're not trying to trick out the truck up in the storage house."

"Simple… Raph already took my tools. Something about tricking out the motor bike. I think you got him hooked on that thing."

Hisoka smiled.

"I guess when I transferred the memories of how to ride a motorcycle, I must have also transferred some of that guy's love of riding it as well."

The two of them chuckled, and as they did, Leo came up behind them, picking Hisoka up.

"Hey there." He said. "Long time no see."

"Hey Leo." Hisoka said, not even slightly fazed by her brother's sneak attack. "What are you up to? I thought you'd still be on the training floor."

Leo shrugged and set his sister down.

"I was… until Sensei came and spoke to me. He told me I shouldn't dwell too hard on the past, and simply learn from my mistakes."

Hisoka smiled and gave quickly locked her brother in a headlock, giving him a noogie. He laughed and pretended to struggle in her grip until she released him. Donny smiled at the scene.

"So Leo… wanna help me with these new cellphones?"

"I'm not the tech guy of the group Donny. I won't be much help."

"I'll find something for you to do."

The two turtles got to work, and Hisoka decided to go find Raph. She found the wall where the sewer hatch to the storage house and began climbing. She climbed for what felt like almost an hour, and she quickly got tired.

"Man…" she gasped. "I guess I haven't gained as much strength as I thought…"

The sewer hatch opened and Raph looked down at her.

"Can I lend a hand?"

Hisoka smiled and took the offered hand as Raph lifted her out of the sewer.

"Even though I'm able to walk slightly unassisted… I'm still so weak."

Raph sat her down on an old crate and just shrugged.

"You never used your legs before… and you're not use to constant exercise. It will take awhile for you to adjust. Just give it time."

Hisoka smiled.

"I guess… So Whatcha working on?"

Raph got this maniacal grin on his face as he quickly went over to the motorcycle.

"I found a bunch of old manuals while digging around for tools. From what I can tell, this place was used as a garage at one point. I found one on bikes and it has a bunch of tips for maintaining, and even tricking it out. That, plus all the cheats you supplied from that bozo from the dump, leaves this turtle with a lot of work to do."

Hisoka looked over at the bike. He seemed to have already begun dismantling it so as to make it better. The coverings were set to the side, and the number of green cans of spray paint by them left no need to guess what Raph intended to do with them.

As the red turtle got to work on the bike, Hisoka found her gaze drawn to the large truck. Donny had already removed the guns, leaving the back space wide open. Hopping off of the crate, she walked towards the truck and inspected it. The inside was quite large, with plenty of room to sit at least 10 people. The windows were a special pane of one sided glass, meaning the people inside could see out, but those outside couldn't see in.

Couldn't see in…..

"THAT'S IT!"

Raph jumped at Hisoka's shout. He turned to her, his sai almost materializing in his hands.

"What is it?" he asked, a bit of panic in his voice.

She scrambled to her feet, going over to the sewer grate. Raph, his confusion growing by the second, lifted the lid for her. She quickly began scrambling down the ladder.

"I just got a completely insane and totally amazing idea!"

Now Raph was even more confused, and quickly followed.

…..

Master Splinter was meditating when Hisoka came knocking on his door. She was keeping her thoughts to herself, but she was practically emitting an energy of excitement and restlessness. He opened the door to see her practically jumping up and down. Raphael was watching from the ladder, Donatello and Leonardo looked up from their projects, and Michelangelo paused his game.

"What is it, my daughter?" he asked.

Hisoka smiled.

"I had an idea." She said. "A really good idea."

Master Splinter could tell she was gonna take a minute, so he sat down meditation style on the ground. Taking the cue, Hisoka joined him.

"I was thinking… If Donny was able to fix the truck… you know… make it so it doesn't look like a mobster van… would you be willing to let us use it?"

The turtles were floored. Use the truck? That would mean-

"That would mean we would be able to go topside." Hisoka explained. "We could drive around the city without having to worry about being seen."

By now, the brothers had all set down what they were doing and gathered around their sister.

"The windows on the van are all one sided glass, and those that aren't can easily be covered in a special paint that will turn it into a one way mirror."

Master splinter sat completely silent as Hisoka continued her explanation.

"With the truck, we could have a connection to the surface. We could get more and better food, better supplies, and maybe even some clothes for all of us that aren't about to fall apart."

The boys all looked down at their clothes. As with most of their stuff, it had been recovered from the dump. Most of it was a little too big, and Hisoka's only clothes were hand me down robes from Splinter.

"Even with the truck, procuring the supplies will still be quite difficult." Splinter countered.

"No it won't… because you have me."

Everyone blinked, even splinter.

"I'm human. I can go topside and act a liaison for us."

"But… what about the people who are after you?" Leo asked.

"Yeah… what about them?" Raph asked.

"Guys… When you found me, I was a frail shell of a girl who couldn't even walk. Now, I've grown a bit, I've gotten some muscle, and on top of that, I can walk now. With a little bit of work and a haircut, I can be a completely different person."

The boys still looked a bit skeptical, but could see her point.

"And also…. Donny made a good point."

Donny perked up.

"I did?"

"You did… You were right. You four did some good when you beat up those goons."

Donny rubbed the back of his head.

"And maybe, with a bit more practice… and a bit more careful planning… we could do even more good."

Hisoka turned back to Splinter.

"You trained them to be ninjas so they could protect themselves… but the way of bushido demands selflessness as well as a willingness to aid those who cannot defend themselves."

Splinter gave a nod.

"If we have a way to go topside without being seen, and a quick escape in case things get hairy… then not only can we improve our own lives… but the lives of the innocent people who need help."

Splinter stroked his chin. He pondered his decision for a while, while his sons, as well as his daughter waited for his answer. He could feel Hisoka restraining herself from reading his mind, and his sons trembling with anticipation. Finally, he nodded.

"Very well… you have my permission."

The five of them all blinked, then looked at each other. Suddenly, they all jumped up in the air. Mikey picked Hisoka up by her arms, spinning her around. They were all cheering and laughing. When Mikey finally set down Hisoka, she stumbled slightly, nearly losing her balance, but Master Splinter gently caught her.

"I do have a single condition for you, Hisoka, if you are to be our liaison for the surface world."

She looked up at the rat.

"What is it?"

"Once you are able to stand unaided, you will join the boys in their ninjitsu training."

Hisoka grinned.

"No argument there." She replied. "I'll train long and hard… I'll become strong enough that I'll never be defenseless again!"

Her brothers quickly swept her up, the five of them buzzing with plans and ideas. Splinter watched them, and smiled at the grins and the laughter. It was hard to let them walk into a hostile world that would never accept them, but he had to believe in them, and in what he had taught them.

He had to believe they were ready.

…..

"And that's what happened, Master." Hun said, concluding his tale.

Oroku Saki contemplated this strange turn of events.

"Have our men resume their patrol of the area… I'm almost certain that the girl you heard… was our missing subject."

"And the turtles?" Hun asked?

"They may be of some use to us. Inform the men that there orders are to captures these creatures, as well as the girl, alive."

Hun bowed low as Saki walked away.

"Yes, Master."


End file.
